CUBA ON TOP AS OLD RIVALS CLASH
The old rivalry worked its magic as the United States once again displayed their displeasure at losing to Cuba. Cuba cruised to a 6-1 victory as the teams nearly
traded punches during an ugly Olympic baseball showdown marred by
a bench-clearing confrontation.
Cuba, Japan and the US have sealed places in Tuesday’s medal semi-finals and pairings will be set after Sunday’s final preliminary games.
Cuba tagged US starting pitcher Rick Krivda for four runs on four hits in
the first inning. Antonio Pacheco and Oscar Macias each hit run-scoring singles
and both scored on a double to the leftfield wall by Miguel Caldes. But soon after, both teams tossed aside sportsmanship for disgraceful
tactics.
Cuban pitcher Jose Ibar, who showed mastery of speed and control by
keeping the Americans hitless for almost five innings, hit US batter Ernie Young in
the upper back with a pitch in the fourth inning.
Young responded by shoving Cuban catcher Ariel Pestano. The 26-year-old
Cuban rose to challenge Young but was restrained by umpire Carlos Rey of Puerto
Rico. Players from both teams raced onto the field to take up for their comrades,
meeting along the first base line and shaping for a major international brawl.
All four umpires, plus the managers and assistant coaches ran between
players to keep the peace. Cooler heads prevailed. But the trouble was not yet
done. Uglier incidents were yet to come.
When Cuba’s Miguel Caldes hit a ground ball to open the fourth inning, US
first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz curled up on the ground in front of the base as
Caldes was running toward it.
The Cuban had no choice but to go sprawling over the top of Mientkiewicz,
landing hard and awkwardly. The ball was never thrown to first, having been
misplayed by third baseman Sean Burroughs.
Caldes stole second and third bases and scored on German Mesa’s triple to
boost Cuba’s lead to 5-0.
In the seventh inning, Cuba’s Yasser Gomez hurled his bat after striking
out and it slammed into a wall near the edge of the US dugout, nearly hitting
two batboys who had nothing to do with the feud being played out before them.
In the eighth inning, Pestano doubled and Cuba’s Yobal Duenas raced home as
US catcher Pat Borders was trying to catch the ball and block home plate.
Duenas slid his spikes into the back of Borders’ right leg, causing the
1992 World Series Most Valuable Player to writhe in pain as he rolled away,
dropping the ball and allowing Duenas to score and give Cuba its final run.
Borders got a measure of revenge in the ninth, within the rules of the
game. He hit a two-out single to score Sean Burroughs from second base and deny
Cuba a shutout. Feelings were so bad that the teams were scheduled in separate news
conferences after the game rather than having them share the podium as other
Olympic baseball rivals had done.
Adding to the tensions has been the fact that US manager Tommy Lasorda has
emphasized patriotism and playing for national pride to his players since they
gathered as a team three weeks ago.
The clash between political rivals goes deeper than anti-Communism rhetoric
and Cold War disputes, into the heart of national pride through a game adored
by the people of both nations.
Over the past decade, 54 Cuban baseball players have defected to the United
States, many for multi-million-dollar major league contracts, including World
Series Most Valuable Players and half-brothers Livan and Orlando Hernandez.
Cuban stars, such as first baseman Orestes Kindelan and third baseman Omar
Linares, see themselves as patriots for avoiding the lures of riches to remain
loyal to the nation they love.
PETER WATTS
Sunday Times
